Poll: 35% of Americans Support Iran Military Strike

New poll finds that 35% of American citizens would support military action against Iran, if sanctions fail.

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Elad Benari, 20/01/12 06:44

Iran's Qoms nuclear site

Israel news photo: NASA

A poll conducted among U.S. citizens has found that 35 percent of them believe that the U.S. should attack Iran if sanctions do not stop the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

The poll, which was conducted by Rasmussen Reports, included 1,000 U.S. likely voters. Among other questions, they were asked how likely it is that stiff economic sanctions against Iran will force it to disband its nuclear program. 27 percent responded that sanctions will likely stop Iran, while 63 percent responded that sanctions are unlikely to stop the Islamic Republic.

Respondents were also asked: Suppose that diplomatic efforts fail to prevent Iran from continuing to develop its nuclear capabilities. Should the United States use military force to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons?

35 percent of respondents answered that they would support U.S. military action against Iran.

The poll was conducted by telephone on January 17 and 18.

On Thursday, the chief of the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA), Yukiya Amano, said that Iran has failed to clarify its atomic development activities to the satisfaction of the United Nations nuclear watchdog body -- and now it's his job to warn the world about its possible military intentions.

"What we know suggests the development of nuclear weapons," Amano told the Financial Times Deutschland newspaper. "We want to check over everything that could have a military dimension.”

The IAEA released a report in November 2011 saying it had credible intelligence that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons technology. "The agency has serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program," the report stated.

The UN agency now plans to send the delegation to the Iranian capital on January 28, following an announcement last week by Iran saying that it was ready to discuss allegations that it has been involved in secret nuclear weapons development.

It has been widely speculated that Israel will launch a military strike on Iran to stop its nuclear program. The United States has so far rejected using that option and has preferred to use diplomatic methods.

However, President Barack Obama is now hinting that the military option may still be used in the future.

In an interview with TIME Magazine, parts of which were published on the web Wednesday, Obama said, “I have made myself clear since I began running for the presidency that we will take every step available to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Can we guarantee that Iran takes the smarter path? No, which is why I’ve repeatedly said we don’t take any options off the table in preventing them from getting a nuclear weapon.”